How to Remove Freckles & Moles From the Face

by
LINDA RAY Aug. 14, 2017

Linda Ray

Linda Ray is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years reporting experience. She's covered business for newspapers and magazines, including the "Greenville News," "Success Magazine" and "American City Business Journals." Ray holds a journalism degree and teaches writing, career development and an FDIC course called "Money Smart."

Freckles can be removed by a variety of cosmetic procedures.

Most freckles and moles are non-cancerous skin lesions that are more cosmetically bothersome than medically problematic. Occasionally, moles interfere with shaving or rub against clothing. According to the Cleveland Clinic, moles are made up of dark skin cells that bind together in clusters, forming small round dots on the skin. Most moles appear before the age of 20. Freckles on the other hand are merely small skin discolorations that most commonly appear on light-skinned people.

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Step 1

Wear sunscreen to lessen the appearance of freckles. According to the Cleveland Clinic, freckles tend to appear more frequently when your face is exposed to the sun. Moles also should be protected from the sun to prevent skin cancer.

Step 2

Visit a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon for a procedure called dermabrasion. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a small wheel is used to scrub off the top layer of skin after it’s been anesthetized. Dermabrasion is most effective for removing freckles and other skin discolorations.

Step 3

Undergo laser surgery to get a clear complexion. Laser surgery is performed by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon who uses directed beams of light to destroy the top layer of skin. There is no bleeding or scarring following laser surgery, although several sessions may be needed to completely remove moles and freckles. Laser surgery is appropriate for freckles and light, flat moles.

Step 4

Get a chemical peel from a trained cosmetologist or dermatologist to remove any discoloration on your face. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a chemical peel is particularly effective for the large freckles or dark spots that develop with age, often referred to as liver spots or age spots.

Step 5

Try an over-the-counter whitening cream to reduce the appearance of dark spots on your face. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, creams that contain hydroquinone are effective for removing lighter freckles. A dermatologist can provide you with a prescription for a stronger cream that has a higher concentration of the skin-lightening ingredient that will be able to at least lighten dark freckles and moles.

Step 6

See a dermatologist to have a deep mole surgically removed. According to Cosmetic Surgery.com, a doctor can shave off the protruding skin on a mole. The skin won't need stitches and the procedure won't leave a scar. For complete removal, stitches are needed and are placed deep in the skin to reduce scarring.

Things You'll Need

Sunscreen

Hydroquinone cream

Tips

Wear makeup that closely matches your natural skin tone and that contains sunscreen while you wait for your facial treatments to take effect. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, surgical and cosmetic skin care treatments can take months until you begin to see the freckles and moles actually gone from your face.

Warnings

Since moles can be cancerous, especially if they've changed in shape or size, you should have them treated by a dermatologist before trying any removal techniques. A biopsy can determine if the mole is malignant, in which case the entire mole and surrounding skin should be excised.